Athapattu BANDARA
Plans are underway to carry out an islandwide dog census. This will enable to eradicate rabies from Sri Lanka, said Health Ministry Veterinary Public Health Services Director Dr. P.L Harishchandra at a media conference to mark World Rabies Day yesterday.
He said the Health Ministry spends Rs. 500 million every year for the prevention and control of rabies.
"We spend Rs. 350 million to treat rabies' patients a year, another Rs. 25 million to vaccinate about one million dogs and another Rs. 100 million for birth control of dogs", he added.
Dr. Harishchandra said that plans have also been made to establish an outdoor centre for stray and abandoned dogs in Anuradhapura.
"It will provide protection for dogs in this region," he said.
The Health Ministry has also established an inter-ministerial committee to take action to curb rabies in Sri Lanka.
This will be carried out as a joint venture of the Livestock and Rural Community Development Ministry and the Defence Ministry, he said.
"Our mission for World Rabies Day is to vaccinate all dogs to eradicate rabies from Sri Lanka by 2016," he said.
The Health Ministry has launched several programmes and campaigns both at provincial and district levels to prevent and eliminate rabies.
http://www.dailynews.lk/2011/11/25/news23.asp
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